Start as you mean to go on

Begin each morning with a good teeth-cleaning regime and you’ll set yourself up for a positive day ahead. Carefully clean your teeth and brace brackets and rinse really well. If you have Invisalign, also clean them with a soft toothbrush and a colour-free, scent-free antibacterial soap (toothpaste is too abrasive) and then rinse really well. Flash yourself a confident grin in the mirror; it’s going to be a great day. 

 

Be prepared (like all good scouts)

You’ll need to clean your teeth after eating at school, and it’s a good idea to have the wherewithal to get by until the end of the day if there’s a problem with your braces or Invisalign. Pack yourself a ‘teeth kit’ that stays in your school bag and contains everything you might need, so you’ve always got it with you. You’ll need a mini toothbrush and toothpaste, a lip balm, some dental wax if you have traditional braces, and spare rubber bands if you use them. If you use Invisalign you’ll need to carry a retainer case to keep them in while eating, too. 

 

Be break-time savvy

You need to think just a little bit more carefully about break-time while you’re having orthodontic work done. You can’t be chomping into whole apples or cereal bars willy nilly while wearing braces, unless you want a very irritable orthodontist on your hands. Softer, smaller fruit is a good plan - a pot of strawberries or grapes is still easy to prepare in the morning. If you wear Invisalign, you’ll need to remove your aligners and brush your teeth carefully before popping them back in after. Remember to leave yourself enough time at break for teeth cleaning and aligner care as well as scoffing your snack and chatting with friends or taking part in a club. 

 

Have a clean girl (or boy) aesthetic

Whether you’re wearing braces or aligners, remember you’ll need to clean your teeth at school as well as at home. Keep your ‘teeth kit’ topped up with all the essentials you’ll need for keeping your gnashers sparkling at school and remember to clean them after everything you eat. If you can find a friend who is also a braces or Invisalign wearer and take them with you on your tooth-brushing adventures, even better. 

 

Learn your lesson(s) and join in!

The best thing about having a straight smile is the confidence it gives you. But don’t wait until your teeth are perfect to begin flashing your smile; your confidence journey starts now! Put your hand up in class, answer the questions and join in confidently whenever you can right now and feel your confidence soar. 

 

Eat, meet and treat your teeth

Even if your school canteen is more pigs’ swill than Hogwarts Great Hall, it’s a good chance to catch up with friends and meet new ones. Be careful with what you eat from the canteen, especially if they’re famous for their granite pizza crusts - you might be safer with a lunch you’ve packed yourself - and remember to remove your Invisalign before tucking in and clean your teeth well after. But you definitely don’t have to miss out (unless it’s rock-hard stuffing balls and lumpy gravy again - then we’ll write you a note). 

 

Show you’re a good sport

Braces and Invisalign are all totally safe for PE, playing on sports’ teams etc. If you’re playing contact sports like rugby, talk to your orthodontist. That might be the one case in which it’s safer to remove your aligners and use a proper mouthguard instead. But otherwise, carry on as you are, and enjoy all that school sport has to offer (apart from Cross Country… people who enjoy that are just weird). 

 

Keep up the other extra-curriculars

Same goes for music, drama and everything else. There’s no need to do anything ‘special’ in order to take part. Some wind and brass players may find that braces or an Invisalign retainer briefly feel a bit ‘different’ and take some getting used to while playing. If you’re a cellist you really have no excuse whatsoever. 

 

Be a teacher’s pet

Your orthodontist will always do their best to arrange appointments around school hours wherever possible but with Invisalign you should find you barely miss school anyway as many of the appointments can be done remotely using dental monitoring, so you won’t even ruin your 100% attendance record for your new smile! 

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